Knockdown container

ABSTRACT

A knockdown container of cubic shape is assembled from six interchangeable square panels each having two opposite side edges of a first kind and two opposite edges of a second kind each of which can be fitted against an edge of the first kind to form a rebated mitred joint. Corner projections are provided at the four corners of each panel and function to fill completely a void space which would otherwise be formed at the eight corners of the assembled container.

United States Patent Inventor l-leikichi Kobayashi Shimizu-shi, Japan Appl. No. 850,904 Filed Aug. 18, 1969 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 Assignee Sanei Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo, Japan Priority Aug. 28, 1968 Japan 43/73563 KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 220/4, 217/65 Int. Cl B65d 11/18, 365d 1 1/16 field of Search 220/4, 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,093,259 6/1963 Morrison 220/9(F) 3,193,886 7/1965 Wenger 217/65X 3,261,493 7/1966 Smith 220/4X 3,383,004 5/1968 Closner 220/9(F) 3,415,406 12/1968 Habgood 217/65 Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorney-Holman, Glascock, Downing & Seebold ABSTRACT: A knockdown container of cubic shape is assembled from six interchangeable square panels each having two opposite side edges of a first kind and two opposite edges of a second kind each of which can be fitted against an edge of the first kind to form a rebated mitred joint. Corner projections are provided at the four corners of each panel and function to fill completely a void space which would otherwise be formed at the eight corners of the assembled container.

INVENTOR.

BY M,

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KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to containers for articles and materials and materials and more particularly to new and improved knock down containers assembled from one or more kinds of mutually interchangeable wall panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a large number of knock down containers each of which can be assembled readily at any work site from at least one kind of mutually interchangeable wall panels.

Another object of the invention is to provide panels for knock downtcontainers of the above stated character which can be transported and stored in a compact stacked state.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a knock down container which, upon being assembled and held integrally, has high mechanical strength, rigidity, and high tightness of-fit with respect to leakage through the joints between the panels.

A further object of the invention is to provide panels for knock down containers which are therrnially insulative.

A still further object of the invention is to provide containers of the above stated character which can be assembled in a wide variety of sequences in accordance with convenience.

An additional object of the invention is to provide panels for knock down containers which are relatively inexpensive yet can be used repeatedly a large number of times.

According to the present invention, briefly summarized, there is provided a knock down container formed by the edgeto'edge assembly of six unit panels each having two opposite side edges of a'first kind and two other opposite edges of a second kind, an edge of the first kind being engageable with an edge of the second kind to form a rebated mitred joint, and each corner of each panel is provided with a corner projection to fill completely a void space which would otherwise be formed at the corner when the container is assembled.

The nature, principle, details, and utility of the invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to a preferred embodiment of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts cut away, showing one example of a container according to the invention in assembled state;

FIG. 2 is a planar view showing the reverse or inner surface of a unit wall panel adapted to constitute the surface or wall part of the container of the invention;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are respectively an inner planar view, a bottom edge view, and a side edge view, which are fragmentary and relatively enlarged and show the lower right-hand corner of the unit panel shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing parts of two unit panels in a state prior to their being engaged to form a joint;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the same parts after they have been engaged to form the joint;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary edge view, partly in section, showing the cross section of a rebated mitred joint (left side) and a hidden rebated mitred joint (right side) between two unit panels; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the plane indicated by line Vll-Vll in FIG. d as viewed in the arrow direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings, each knock down container 1 is made up of six identical, unit wall panels 2, each of which is square in planar view. Each unit panel 2 consists of an outer shell structure 4 made of a moulded rigid synthetic resin and a thermal insulation material 3, such as a synthetic resin foamed material or glass fibre, which is used to fill the shell structure 4.

Each unit panel 2 has a planar outer surface 22 and inner surface 21 parallel to the outer surface 22. The panel also has two opposite rebated mitre edges each consisting of an outer mitre edge surface 5 beveled at 45 degrees of angle over approximately the outerone-half thickness of the unit panel 2 and projecting rebate ridge 6 formed by the dihedral combination of the inner surface 21 and a joint surface 7 parallel to the edge and perpendicular the inner surface 21. Each panel 2 further has two opposite rebated mitre edges each consisting of an outer mitre edge surface 5a identical to the edge surfaces 5 and a rebated recess defined by a joint surface 8 parallel to the edge and perpendicular to the inner surface 21 and a ledge or shoulder 10 perpendicularly adjoining the surface 8. The surface 7 is contiguous to and adjoins the mitre edge surface 5 along a dihedral intersection line Sa and the surface 8 is contiguous to and adjoins the mitre edge 50 along a dihedral intersection line 5a,.

At the longitudinal ends of each joint surface 8, there are provided corner projections 14, each formed integrally with the panel 2 and having the form of a pentahedron with five faces, two of which abut flush against and adjoin surface 8 and ledge 10, respectively. The other three faces are a triangular face 9 lying in an extension of the plane of nearest joint surface 7, a triangular face 12 which is perpendicular to the nearest ledge 10 and lies in a plane through which an extension of the intersection ridge line 11 between the nearest beveled edge surfaces 5 and 5a passes, and a triangular face 13 lying in an extension of the plane of the nearest beveled edge surface 5a.

Each corner projection 14 as viewed in a section thereof perpendicular to the comer intersection ridge line 11 has a ridge dihedral'angle of degrees between faces 12 and 13 as indicated in FIG. 7. Accordingly, at each corner of the container, three corner projections 14 respectively of three unit panels meet and mutually fit snugly to form an assembled joint without vacant or void space.

For full and economical utilization of the present invention, a large number of identical unit panels 2 are produced for assembly into a large number of containers 1.

A feature of the unit panels 2 according to the invention is that they can be assembled in a variety of sequences to form a container 1 depending on convenience in each case. One example of procedure for assembling six unit panels 2, each of the above-described configuration, into a container 1 is as follows.

The rebate ridge 6 at the intersection of inner surface 21 and joint surface 7 of a first unit panel 2 to form a sidewall is fitted snugly into the recess defined by surfaces 8 and 10 and surfaces 12 of a second unit panel 2 to form a sidewall.

As a result, the surface of the inner surface 21 near the per tinent ridge 6, the adjacent joint surface 7 (together with faces 9 at its two ends), the adjacent beveled edge surface 5, and faces 13 adjacent to faces 9 of the first unit panel 2 are respectively in close contact with joint surface 8, the adjacent ledge 10, the adjacent beveled edge surface 5a, and faces H2 at the ends of the surface 8 of the second unit panel 2. Accordingly,

the projecting ridge line 6 of the first unit panel is fitted coincidentally against the corresponding recessed trough line at the intersection of surface 8 and ledge 10 of the second unit panel, and the projecting ridge line 5a, of the second unit panel is fitted coincidentally against the corresponding recessed trough line or intersection line Sa of the first unit panel.

Similarly, two other unit panels 2 are joined to the first and second unit panels to form the four sidewalls of the container 1.

Thus, face 12 of each corner projection 14 of one panel is in contact with a diagonally upward or downward facing face 13 of an adjacent second panel, and face 13 adjacent to this face 12 of the first panel, face 12 adjacent to this face 13 of the second panel, and the nearest end part of ledge of the second panel form a recess into which a corner projection 14 of a fifth or sixth unit panel to constitute the top wall (roof) or bottom wall (floor) of the container can snugly fit.

When four unit panels 2 are assembled in the abovedescribed manner to form the container sidewalls, a four-sided structure open at its top and bottom is formed. At each of the top and bottom openings, the square periphery is made up of two opposed edges having respective joint surfaces 8, 8 and two opposed edges having respective ridges 6, 6. Accordingly, a fifth or sixth unit'panel 2 can be readily fitted into the periphery of the sidewall opening in accordance with the above-described principle thereby to form the top or bottom wall.

When the fifth or sixth unit panel is thus fitted in place, the four corner projections 14 thereof fit snugly into the aforementioned recesses formed between respective pairs of adjoining sidewall panels. Thus, the three corner projections of three panels meeting and conjoined at each of the eight corners of the container 1 occupy respective space regions each covering 120 of angle as hereinbefore mentioned with reference to FIG. 7.

After the article or material to be packaged has been placed in the container and the sixth of last panel has been fitted into position, the container thus assembled is held together by any of various known means (not shown) such as straps or fasteners for locking together all mutually adjoined edges thereby to produce an integral rigid structure.

Since the unit panels 2 assembled in the above-described manner to constitute the container 1 of the invention are all fabricated to conform to a common standard specification, the fabrication thereof can be carried out with high efficiency and is highly adaptable to quantity (mass) production. For the same reason, the unit panels of a single class can be stored and used indiscriminately without the necessity of selecting types and can be assembled by merely fitting together the mating parts as described above, whereby the assembly work can be carried out in a rapid and efficient manner.

Another advantageous feature of the knock down container of the invention is that since the unit panels are of a flat plate configuration, they can be stored in closely stacked state when they are not being used, in which state, the panels occupy minimal space. Thus, great convenience is afforded in the transportation of the panels to a work site, particularly to the site of packaging frozen commodities, and in the storage of unused panels.

A further advantageous feature of the present container is that the multiple contact surfaces provided at the fitted parts of the unit panels afford high mechanical strength, rigidity, and tightness of fit against leakage of fluids through the joints. That is, the multiple contact surfaces lying in mutually different planes afford high resistance to shear and compressive forces and forces tending to cause one panel to slip or shift relative to an adjoining panel. The assembled container structure has particularly high strength at the corners, which are ordinarily the weakest points with respect to impact, since the corner projections 14 are assembled in a state of intimate mutual contact.

Furthermore, the interior of each panel is filled with a thermal insulative material such as foamed urethane or glass fibers. This construction, together with aforementioned tightness of the joints'affords high thermal insulation between the interior and exterior of the container.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while the invention has been described above with respect to an embodiment thereof in which all of the interchangeable unit panels are of square planar shape and are made to the same specification, elongated containers assembled from panels of unequal sizes and different shapes are also possible.

For example, each container can have an elongated shape assembled from four oblong panels of interchangeable character and two square panels of interchangeable character, there being two kinds of identical panels. As another example, each container can be assembled from two interchangeable, oblong panels of a first kind, two interchangeable, oblong panels of a second kind, and two interchangeable, oblong panels of a third kind, there being three kinds of identical panels.

Thus, while square panels afford great convenience in production and use thereof, other shapes may be used depending on the necessity. In general, the sizes and shapes of the containers are selected in accordance with factors such as the nature of the articles or materials to be contained and the dimensions of the cargo space of the transportation means.

Furthermore, while each container has been described and illustrated in the drawings as having substantially sharp corners and edges, it is possible to provide panels which, upon assembly, form a container having beveled or rounded corners and edges. While, for the sake of simplicity, the panels have been described and illustrated as having simple fiat exterior Surfaces, it is possible to provide each panel with projecting parts or recessed parts for providing increased strength or parts to function as skids or supports.

lclaim:

l. A knock down container comprising, in edge-to-edge combination, six unit wall panels (2) each having a rectangular planar shape with external and internal surfaces (22, 21) and having two opposite side edges of a first kind each shaped therealong to constitute a first part with a projecting rebate ridge (6) of a rebated mitred joint, said ridge (6) being formed at the intersection of one edge of said internal surface and a first joint surface (7) substantially perpendicular thereto, and two other opposite edges of a second kind each shaped therealong to constitute a second part with a recessed rebate trough (5a,) of a rebated mitred joint, said trough being formed between a second joint surface (8) perpendicular to and contiguous to an edge of the internal surface and a ledge (10) perpendicular to said joint surface, said first and second parts having also beveled mitre surfaces (5, 5a) disposed outward from respective rebate parts thereof, an inclined ridge line (11) being formed between each edge of the first kind and an adjacent edge of the second kind, and each corner of the panel is provided a corner projection (14) integrally formed with and projecting from the nearest second joint surface, said projection having a face (9) lying in the plane of the nearest first joint surface (7), a face (12) lying in a plane which is perpendicular to said ledge and contains the nearest ridge line, and a face (13) lying in the same plane as the nearest mitre surface, said corner projection functioning to occupy a void space which would otherwise be formed at the corner and thereby to form a leakproof fit.

2. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said panels has a square planar shape; and all panels are mutually interchangeable.

3. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which at least four of said panels have an oblong planar shape.

4. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which said mitre surfaces have a bevel angle of 45 relative to the external surface.

5. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which each as said panels has an outer shell structure made of a moulded rigid synthetic resin and filled with a thermal insulation material.

6. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 which constitutes one unit container of a group of a large number of unit containers all identical to said one unit container and built up of interchangeable panels. 

1. A knock down container comprising, in edge-to-edge combination, six unit wall panels (2) each having a rectangular planar shape with external and internal surfaces (22, 21) and having two opposite side edges of a first kind each shaped therealong to constitute a first part with a projecting rebate ridge (6) of a rebated mitred joint, said ridge (6) being formed at the intersection of one edge of said internal surface and a first joint surface (7) substantially perpendicular thereto, and two other opposite edges of a second kind each shaped therealong to constitute a second part with a recessed rebate trough (5a1) of a rebated mitred joint, said trough being formed between a second joint surface (8) perpendicular to and contiguous to an edge of the internal surface and a ledge (10) perpendicular to said joint surface, said first and second parts having also beveled mitre surfaces (5, 5a) disposed outward from respective rebate parts thereof, an inclined ridge line (11) being formed between each edge of the first kind and an adjacent edge of the second kind, and each corner of the panel is provided a corner projection (14) integrally formed with and projecting from the nearest second joint surface, said projection having a face (9) lying in the plane of the nearest first joint surface (7), a face (12) lying in a plane which is perpendicular to said ledge and contains the nearest ridge line, and a face (13) lying in the same plane as the nearest mitre surface, said corner projection functioning to occupy a void space which would otherwise be formed at the corner and thereby to form a leakproof fit.
 2. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said panels has a square planar shape; and all panels are mutually interchangeable.
 3. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which at least four of said panels have an oblong planar shape.
 4. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which said mitre surfaces have a bevel angle of 45* relative to the external surface.
 5. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 in which each as said panels has an outer shell structure made of a moulded rigid synthetic resin and filled with a thermal insulation material.
 6. A knock down container as claimed in claim 1 which constitutes one unit container of a group of a large number of unit containers all identical to said one unit container and built up of interchangeable panels. 